Concrete construction



E. SMULSKIL CONCRETE cowsmucno'w.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, I9l8 Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

E. SMULSKI.

CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED sin. 9, 1918 1,356,319. Patented 001;. 111920.

4 SHEETSSH'LET 2.

M M 0 m 11 H 11 u E. SMULSKI.

CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9. 191g.

Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

Invencor E. SMULSKI.

CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1918 Patented 00t .19,1920.

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t m a Invent or WWQ ' v e Al Karl UNITED STATES PA-TENT OFFICE.

EDWARD SMULSKI, OF HASTINGS-UPON-HUDSON', NEW YORK.

CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pate ted O t- 19 1920 I Application filed September 9, 1918. Serial No. 253,197. Y

Z '0 all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, EDWARD SMULsKI, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hastings-upon-Hudson, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Concrete Constructions, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to. concrete construction adapted for retaining walls, .dams and reservoirs, and other forms of construction. Y

Heretofore, in making such constructions it has been ,customary' to erect forms for the walls and buttresses with staging adjacent.-

the walls. Then the steel reinforcement is located in the forms and finally the concrete is poured into the form around the steel reinforcement. The forms and staging for such purposes have been very elaborate, especially in the construction of high walls. The placing of the steel reinforcement in these high walls, and securing them in position are diflicult and expensive operations; and since the walls are Very thin inproportion to their height, the depositing of the concrete in the forms is a laborious, exacting operation requiring careful supervision. Also, it is necessary to advance the concrete mixing and distributing machinery along the wall as the work progresses. This process of construction is necessarily slow, and a wall thus progressively constructed, progressively hardens with attendantv shrinkage producing a cracked, inferior construction.

The aim and purpose of the present invention, therefore, 1s to provide a construct1on comprlsmg concrete slabs or units which may be constructed in the yard, and

then moved to the field of construction, where they are assembled or built up, and the spaces between them may be filled with unions formed of new concrete poured into said spaces. j

The slabs or units maybe simple in construction, and since they are formed in'the yard before needed, they may be carefully poured, hardened and shrunk to the proper degree, thereby eliminating cracked, infe-- rior work. These slabs or units may be made in quantities, and be quickly transported to. the field of construction and quickly assembled. No elaborate forms and staging are required, it being merely necessary to provide very simple forms requiring a small amountof material to close the openlngs 1n the spaces between the slabs or units into which the new concrete for the llIllOIlS is poured.

The slabs or units may be provided with suitable reinforcing rods or members which may have suitably formed portions projecting into .the spaces receiving the new concrete to secure the slabs or units together..

As a result, a construction is produced having in effect the same continuity as in the construction built by the former method, but the new construction may be produced with greater speed, simpler forms and staging, and with less labor and cost, with the further advantage that the construction is superior to the former construction. I

Various forms of'construction may be made in accordance with the invention, but for purposes of illustration, a retaining wall is shown herein as one good form of the invention. This retaining wall ma comprise bottom slabs, wall slabs mounted Fig. 4 is a view similar to 3 showing a slightly modifiedform of construction;

slabs showing Fig. 5 is an end elevation showing portions of two adjacent bottom slabs and a buttress mounted thereon with a-union of new concrete filling the space between them;

Fig. 6 is a plan of one of the bottom the reinforcing rods or members therefor;

Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 9-9, of Fig. .6;

Fig. 10 is a plan of one of the 'wall slabs,

in a the present instance, illustrated as formed of upper and lower sections;

Fig. 11 is a transverse vertical section taken on the broken line 1111 of Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional detail taken on line 1212 of Fig 10; Fig. 12 is a perspective view of parts shown in Fig. 12; v

Fig. 13 is an end elevation of the wall showing one of the buttresses in sideelevation;

14-14-of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a horizontal section taken on line 15-15 of'Fig. 13;

Fig. 16 is a vertical section taken on line. 16-16 of Fig. 13; and

Fig. 17 is a detail to be referred to.

Referring to the drawings, the construe-- tion shown therein as one good form of the invention comprises bottom slabs 1 (Figs. 1 and 6) which may be of uniform thickness throughout, but preferably the form of the slab is determined by the forces which are to act upon it. When the bottom slab is employed as the foundation for a retaining wall, the bottom slab is covered with earth or other suitable material, with an embankment at the side of the wall slab where the buttresses are located and the tendency is to tiltthe wall to the left of Fig. 2. Then the forces acting on the portion of the bottom slab between adjacent buttresses are such that the weight of the embankment tends to press said portion downward, whereas, on the other hand, the forces acting on the portion of the bottom slab at the opposite side of the wall slab are such that the tendency is to press said portion upward. Also the pressure on the wall slab is transmitted by the buttresses to the bottom slab and tends to pull the latter up against the resistance of the weight of the embankment thereon. In order that the bottom slab may resist these forces with a maximum strength for a minimum amount of material, the portion of the bottom slab at the rear or buttress side of the wall slab may be thick at its juncture with the buttresses, and thinner at its central portion presenting a wide recess 3 at the upper side thereof, as will be noted in Fig. 8, and the portion of the bottom slab at the opposite side of the wall slab may be thick at its juncturewith the buttresses and thinner at its central portion presenting a wide recess 5 at the under side thereof, as will be noted in Fig. 9. The wall slab may rest on the bottom slab, and in the present instance, may be received by a transverse channel 7 formed in the latter. The

ends 9 of the bottom slab may be beveled 0 or inclined relatively to the plane of the slab for a purpose to be described.

I The form of the wall slabs may be determined by the forces acting upon them, and they may conveniently be formed of sections to facilitate construction of walls of Fig. 14 is avertical section taken on line considerable height. In the present instance, each wall slab comprises an upper section 11 and a lower section 13 (Figs. 1, 2, 10 and 11). This slab may be of uniform thickness throughout, but preferably for purpose of economy,-may be thick at its juncture with the buttresses, and thinner at its central portion, presenting a wide recess 15 at the sideof the wall receiving the pressure from the embankment. Opposed ends 17 of the wall slab may be stepped or may be beveled or formed oblique to the plane of the-slab for a purpose to be described.

,Having described the bottom slabs and the vertical slabs, next will be described the buttresses therefor. These buttresses may be of sectional form for walls of great height, and in the present instance, each buttress comprises a lower section 19 (Figs. 1, I 2 and 13) and. an upper section 21. Each 85 section may be tapered from its base upwardly, and may be of uniform thickness throughout, but if desired for economy of material, each section may have panels 23 therein of less thickness than the marginal 90. portions of the section. Also, in some forms of construction, apertures may be substituted for the panels to effect further econom of material.

he bottom slabs,wall slabs and buttresses 9 may be provided with suitable reinforcing rods or members which preferably are extended beyond the edges thereof to connect adjacent slabs, and to secure the buttresses to the bottom slabs and wall slabs.

In the present instance, the portion of the bottom slab backbf the wall slab is provided with reinforcing rods or members 25 (Fig.

8) having portions 27 therein adjacent the under surface of the slab experiencing ten- 1 5 sion stresses from the tendency of the slab to curve downward between the buttresses, portions 29 extending toward the upper surface of the slab for resisting shearing stresses, and portions 31 extending beyond 0 the ends of the slab presenting loops or books or other suitable forms beneath the buttresses and preferably bent back into the slab and serving to resist tension stresses from the tendency of the buttresses to pull 1 the slab upward at its juncture with the buttresses and to secure the rods or members into the new concrete filled in the spaces between adjacent ends of the slabs, as more fully hereinafter described.

Similarly, the portion of the bottom slab at the front of the upright slab may be provided with reinforcing rods or members 33 (Fi 9) located adjacent the upper surface of t e slab to resist tension stresses from the 125 tendency of the slab to curve upward from the pressure of the slab on the earth. Said rods have portions 35 extending beyond the ends of the slab presenting loops, hooks or other forms, preferably bent back into the 13C slab and serving for suitably securing said rods or members into the new concrete filling the spaces between the ends of adjacent slabs, as more fully hereinafter described. The opposed ends of the bottom slab adjacent the buttresses may have transverse rods or members 37 (Figs. 8 and 9) therein provided with hooks 39 extending beyond the upper and lower surfaces of the slab for anchorage in and reinforcementof portions of the new concrete above and beneath the slabs. Y

Suitable means may be provided for reinforcing' the wall slabs. In the present instance, each of these slabs is provided with a series of reinforcing rods'or members 41 extending transversely thereof and havin portions 43 adjacent the front face thereofto resist tension stresses, portions 45 extending diagonally toward the back faceof the slab to resist shearing stresses, and portions 47 extended beyond the ends of the slabs presenting hooks, loops or other suitable forms, preferably returned into the slab and serving for anchorage in the new concrete placed in the spaces between the ends of adjacent wall'slabs, as more fully. hereinafter described. These rods or'members thus anchored, will serve to connect adjacent wall slabs and prevent spreading thereof. If the wall slab is formed of upper and lower sections, one of them, in the present instance, the upper section, may have feet or projections 49 at the lower edge thereof adapted to rest upon the upper edge of the lower section, and provide spaces or recesses 51 between the sections. To connect these sections, each may be provided with rods or members 53 projecting substantial distances into said sections, and presenting portions projecting substantial distances beyond said sections into said recesses or spaces, and the ends 55 of said rods or members may be formed to present loops or hooks for anchorage in new concrete to be filled into said spaces or recesses, as will be noted in Fig.

12. To further secure the sections to thenew concrete and to reinforce the new concrete, reinforc1ng rods or members 57 may be provided extending transversely through the sections adjacent the opposed ends thereof, said rods or members being formed to present hooks 59, for anchorage in the new concrete.

' The buttresses may be provided with suitable reinforcing means for resisting stresses longitudinally and transversely thereof. In the present instance, each buttress is provided with a series of longitudinal reinforcing rods o members 61 (Figs. 13 and 15) and marginal longitudinal reinforclng rods or members 63. These rods or members -may have lower end portions 65 '(Fig. 16)

which may project beyond the lower edge of transverse I'OClS OI members the buttress into the new concrete in the space between adjacent. bottom slabs, said portions being formed to present hooks, loops or other suitable shapes for secure anchorage in. the new concrete.

Each buttress may-also be provided with in the new concrete. In the .present instance, the transverse reinforcing rods or members 67 have the form of continuous loops or stirrups, the outer ends of which may desirably embrace the marginal longitudinal rods or members 63, thereby further contributing to the secure anchorage of the into the concrete of the buttress. Where a buttress comprises a plurality of sections, such, for example, as the lower and upper sections 19 and 21 (Fig. 13), the upper section may have feet or projections 69 at the lower edge thereof adapted to rest upon the upperedge of the lower section with an opening or recess 71 between said feet or projections. To connect the sections. the longitudinal reinforcing rods or members 61 may be formed to present loops 73,

hooks or other shapes projecting into the or members therein having anchorage projections appropriately formed. Then when required, they are transported to the field of construction where they may be assembled as follows First, a series of channels 75 (Fig. 5) may be formed in the ground at appropriate intervals, and the bottom slabs on the ground with their beveled edges spaced somewhat apart, as willbe noted in Fig. 5. In some cases timbers 77 may be placed in said channels-to form opposed sides thereof, but if the ground is sufficiently hard, the timbers will be unnecessary.

Next the buttresses are mounted on the bottom slabs above the spaces between the ends thereof. To support the buttresses, their lower edges may be formed to present feet or projections 79 (Figs. 1 and 2) adapted to rest upon opposed ends of adjacent bottom slabs and bridge the spacebetween may be placed them. These feet or projections may be secured by bolts to the bottom slabs. Timbers 81 (Fig. 5) or other suitable forms maybe placedupon the bottom slabs short spaces from the side faces of the buttress.

Next the wall slabs are tilted upward from flat to upright positions with their lower edges resting in the channel 7 in the bottom slabs, and if the wall slabs are formed of sections, the lower section is first placed and then the upper section is superposed thereon. To secure the wall slabs to the buttresses, the former may have lugs or projections 83 (Fig. 2) formed thereon for engagement with opposed faces of the buttresses, and connected to the latter by bolts 85, and reinforced by rods 86 Fig. 11.

Then upright timbers 87 (Fig. 3) are placed against the back faces of the wall slabs adjacent the spaces between them, and said timbers are connected by planks 89 secured thereto.

Now the construction is ready to receive the new concrete, which is poured into the spaces between the bottom slabs and into the spaces between the wall slabs. The feet 7 9 of the buttresses support the same a sufficient distance above the bottom slabs to allow ready pouring of the concrete into said spaces. The new concrete poured into the spaces between the bottom slabs will form unions 91 (Figs. 5, 8 and 9) substantially H- shaped in cross section presenting horizontal bars 93 and 95 above and beneath the bottom slabs, and a tapered or wedge-shaped neck 97 connecting said bars, the construction being such that the beveled ends of the bottom slabs will rest upon this wedgeshaped neck and find support therefrom, and the upper and lower bars will securely hold the bottom slabs in the same plane.

This new concrete union 91 will surround the anchorages 31, 35 and 39 (Figs. 8 and 9) projecting from the bottom slabs, and thereby securely connect the bottom slabs and reinforce the unions. To further reinforce the unions, they may have longitudinal reinforcing rods or members 98 placed therein before the new concrete is poured, and the anchorages 31 and 35 may be looped about and embrace these longitudinal rods or members to further secure the same into the new concrete.

The unions 91 will also surround the anchorages projecting downward beyond the lower edges of the buttresses, and secure said anchorages to the unions. The upper and lower horizontal bars 93 and 95 of the unions may be provided with suitable reinforcing means, in the present instance, in the form of rods or members 93 and 95 extending longitudinally thereof, and certain of the latter may be embraced by the anchorages for the buttresses to contribute to the secure connection thereof with the have longitudinal marginal unions. The upper bars 93 may be provided with loops or stirrups 98, Fig. 16, extending transversely thereof and embracing the longitudmal rods or members 93, and the lower horizontal bars 95 may be provided with loops or stirrups 95 extending transare formed in the fieldof new concrete and constitute continuations of the unions 9? between the bottom slabs, suitable forms being placed to produce these buttresses.

New concrete is also poured into the spaces formed between the wall slabs, and partially inclosed by the timbers 87 and planks 89 shown in Fig. 3. This new concrete will form unions 101 filling said spaces comprising pilasters 103 at the front of the wall slabs and tapered or wedge-shaped necks 105 between the opposed beveled ends of the wall slabs. These unions may be formed with or without the pilasters, and in the latter case the tapered or wedge-shaped necks of the unions will be relied upon to resist the outward pressure of the wall slabs.

In some cases it may be desirable to further strengthen the unions 101 by giving them the form shown in Fig. 4. To accomplish this, upright timbers 107 and 109 may be placed at the back face of the wall slabs in position to produce pilasters 111. This will further contribute to the provision of a water-proof connection between the wall slabs.

The new concrete unions 101 will surround the anchorages projecting horizontally beyond the ends of the wall slabs and the buttresses, and secure the same therein, as will be noted in Fig. 15., To strengthen the unions 101 and the pilasters when used, longitudinal rods or members 113 may be provided in the unions, and the anchorage projections may be looped about said longitudinal rods or members to further secure the same in said unions. To reinforce the pilasters, they may be provided with suitable reinforcing means, in the present instance, in the form of loops or stirrups 115 which may embrace certain of the longitudinal rods or members in the pilasters.

The small buttresses may be provided with suitable reinforcing means, in the resent instance, rods or members 117 Fig.

.14) being provided for this purpose conveniently in the form of loops or stirrups projecting downward into the unions 91. The upper edges of the small buttress may reinforcing rods or members 119 therein, and the loops or stirrups 11'? may embrace the rods or members 119 and certain of the longitudinal rods or members 95 referred to in the horizontal bar 95 to contribute to the secure 5 anchorage of the stirrrups therein. The upper horizontal bars 93 of the unions 91 may have suitable reinforcing means conveniently in the form of loops or stirrups.

123 extending transversely of said bars and embracing'reinforcing rods or members 125 extending longitudinally of said bars.

Suitable forms may be provided for, connecting the sections of the wall slabs and v for connecting the sections of the buttresses. 15 To accomplish this, timbers 127 and short blocks 129 (Fig. 12%.) may be. provided at opposite faces of the sections, and may be connected by planks 131. New concrete may be filled into the spaces between the sections and forms, thereby producing unions 133 which may be substantially H-shaped in section presenting bars 135 at opposite faces of the sections, and necks 137 connecting said bars. These unions will surround the loops or members 55 projecting beyond the sections into the spaces between them, and the hooks 59 projecting transversely to said sections. To further reinforce these unions, longitudinal rods or members 139 may be placed therein and may be embraced by the hooks 59 to further secure the latter to the unions.

By the invention is provided a construct1on composed of slabs or units which may be made in the yard and easily and quickly assembled and erected in the field of construction. The new concrete may bereadily poured into the spaces between the slabs or units requiring merely a few timbersand 40 planks to serve as forms for the new concrete. These formsare such that they may be easily and quickly laced and the concrete may be poured w1th the assistance of simple staging. Also, the necessity for moving the mixing machinery along the wall with the progress .of the work eliminated, since statlonary mixing machinery can be used forpreparing the small amount ofnew concrete required to fill the spaces between The construction is such slabs or units.

that not only an important economy is obtained in materials,.time and labor, but also a construction is produced which is superior to the constructlon .made by the method hitherto employed.

In some instances it may be desirable to interpose waterproof material between the slabs or units or between the unions, and the slabs or units. In the present instance, a

layer 141 (Fig. 13) of neat cement or other suitable waterproof material is interposed between the lower edges of the wall slabs and the bottoms of the channels 7 in the bottom slabs, and layers 143 (Fig. 4), of 95 neat cement or other suitable waterproof material are interposed between the inner face of the pilaster 111 and the, adjacent faces of the wall slabs.

The ends of the bottom slabs and wall slabs may be variouslyformed to engage the unions and in some cases may have stepped ends 145 (Fig. 17) engaging stepped necks of unions 147.

While the unions for the slabs are shown I herein as having bars or pilasters at the ends of the tapered necks thereof, it will be evident that in some cases the tapered necks will be found suflicient for the purposes without said bars or pilasters.

While the slabs or units shown and de- 30' scribed herein are suitable for the construc-. tion of retaining walls, dams or reservoirs, 1 it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, since other forms of slabs or units may be made for other con- 35 structions.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction shown herein, but that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing 9o from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. I

What is claimed is p 1. In a concrete retaining wall,-the com,-

bination of bottom slabs assembled with I spaces between adjacent edges thereof, wall slabs risin above said bottom slabs and assembled w1th spacesbetween adjacent edges thereof-registering with the spaces between the bottom slabs, buttresses mounted on said bottom slabs having lower edges above the spaces between said bottom slabs and upright edges opposite the spaces between said wall slabs, means projecting from said slabs and buttresses into said spaces, and unions of new concrete filling said spaces to cooperate with said means to connect said slabs and buttresses that they may act with monolithic effect.

2. .In a concrete retaining wall, the combination of bottom slabs, upright wall slabs and buttresses assembled in three planes with L-shaped spaces between them having upright legs between the wall slabs and horizontal legs between the bottom slabs beneath the buttresses, unions of new concrete poured into said spaces, and means to secure said unions to said slabs and buttresses that they may act with monolithic effect.

3. In a concrete retaining wall, the combination of bottom slabs having grooves therein, wall slabs mounted in said grooves on said bottom slabs, said bottom slabs and wall slabs having communicating spaces between them, buttresses having lower edges above the spaces between the bottom slabs and upright edges opposite the spaces be. tween the wall slabs, and unions of new concrete filling the spaces between said slabs and buttresses. I

4. In a concrete retaining wall, the combination of bottom slabs assembled with spaces between them, wall slabs assembled with spaces between them, buttresses for said wall slabs having edges opposite the spaces between the bottom slabs and edges opposite the spaces between the wall slabs, reinforcing members in said slabs and buttresses projecting into said spaces, and unions of new concrete formed in said spaces and surrounding portions of the members projecting therein.

5. In a concrete retaining wall, the 'combination of bottom slabs assembled with spaces between them, wall slabs assembled with spaces between them, buttresses for said wall slabs having lower edges opposite the spaces between the bottom slabs and upright edges opposite the spaces between said wall slabs, and unions of new concrete formed in said spaces, said unions and the edges of said slabs being formed to interlock and prevent upward rocking of the buttresses from the bottom slabs, and outward rocking of the wall slabs from said buttresses.

6. In a concrete retaining wall, the com-- bination of bottom slabs assembled with spaces between them, wall slabs assembled with spaces between them, buttresses for said wall slabs having edges opposite the spaces between said bottom slabs and edges opposite the spaces between said wall slabs, and unions extending in'said spaces between the slabs along said edges of said buttresses to constitute in effect continuations of said buttressesfl 7 In a concrete retaining wall, the combination of bottom slabs assembled with spaces between them wall slabs assembled with spaces between them forming continuations of the spaces between the bottom slabs, buttresses for said wall slabs having portions adapted to rest on said bottom slabs to support the buttresses above the spaces between said bottom slabs, and unions of new concrete filling the spaces between said slabs, said unions and slabs being formed to interlock and resistrelative rocking of the wall slabs andbottom slabs.

8. In a concrete retaining wall, the coni bination of bottom slabs assembled with spaces between them extending transversely of the length of the wall, wall slabs mounted on said bottom slabs intermediate the front and rear edges thereof and having spaces between themregistering with the spaces between the bottom slabs, buttresses mounted on the bottom slabs above the spaces therebetween and at one side of the wall, buttresses mounted on the bottom slabs above the spaces therebetween at the 0ppo-,

site side of said wall, and unions of new concrete filling the spaces between the slabs and buttresses.

9. In a concrete retaining wall, the combination of bottom slabs having spaces between them extending transversely of the length of the wall, upright slabs having nation of bottom slabs assembled with spaces between them, wall slabs assembled with spaces between them, buttresses for 7 said wall slabs registering with the spaces between said bottom slabs and having portions resting on said bottom slabs, longitudinal rods or members in said spaces, reinforcing rods or members in said bottom slabs connected to the longitudinal members in the spaces between said bottom slabs, reinforcing rods or members in said wall slabs connected to the reinforcing rods or members in the spaces between said wall slabs, .reinforcing rods or members in said buttresses connected to the longitudinal rods or members in said spaces, and unions of new concrete formed in said spaces and surrounding the rods or members therefor.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWARD sMULsKI. 

